Imagine instead of choppy video, broken voice, and a laggy screenshare, you could have a remote meeting in virtual space where everyone can see and share the same thing. French developer MiddleVR is doing exactly that.
Improov3 is VR software that offers a virtual meeting room for engineers, designers, and architects. Using the software, users from different locations can invite multiple users for a product review while seeing a CAD (computer aided-design) model.
“If a company wants to see the CAD model in reality before making a prototype, they can import CAD 3D model into our software. As they put on VR headset, they can see the product in real size,” Hanna Burdorf, Shanghai manager at MiddleVR says. “It’s useful for companies that create products like motors and engines.”
In a virtual meeting room, users can load multiple 3D models, speak with each other, measure the length of each part of the product, take off the parts, and take pictures. For the user who doesn’t have VR headset, there is also a desktop version. The desktop version is available for trial.
Launched in July, Improov3 is now adding other functions such as collision checking. Collision checking is a suite of algorithms that detect, and possibly prevent, two or more virtual objects from colliding.
“There is huge potential for VR in the B2B market. Companies can use VR to improve their work communication,” Ms. Burdorf says.
More and more VR companies providing B2B solutions have emerged in China this past year. Shanghai-based GDI provides VR solutions for high-end manufacturing, national defense training, and education sectors. Plex VR creates custom 360 degree content for shops, museums, and real estate developers. While VR companies focusing on B2C find it hard to monetize from its customers, the B2B market is gaining attention powered by Chinese tech giants like HTC and Alibaba.
“China is the manufacturing hub. In China, people create things, design, and produce things. We believe our solution can be useful for companies here and want to expand into the Asian market from here,” Ms. Burdorf says.
Founded in 2012 in Paris, MiddleVR provides immersive VR applications and services, including a VR plugin for Unity. The founder and CEO of MiddleVR, Sebastien Cb Kuntz gained 15 years experience in virtual reality during his time wth SNCF French Railway.
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